Hey guys,

I have been lurking in these forums for the past month to get some perspective. I finally created an account on these forums, and you guys seem pretty cool. Will love to hear some input about the situation I'm having right now.

So basically I am/was in the market for the new generation TLX. I never bought a brand new car, and always had beaters lol. About a month ago, we went to dealership in Chicago and found my love in the 2021 tlx a-spec SH-AWD, modern steel metallic with red interior. It is my dream car, and best color combo to me and my wife. Unfortunately someone was in the process of buying that. The dealership is waiting for the same one in the beginning of December. Well they wanted $52,500 out the door for it, and I went for it. They wanted 2k deposit on it, and said they will return it on the day I pick up the car. I did give the 2k deposit and was happy at that time. Now after doing lots of research everywhere, I feel like they didn't give me a great deal. I think to be honest, I left so much money on the table.

Now after having some buyers remorse and doing a ton of research, maybe that $52500 and a bit more money can be opted for a type-s. I am hearing people getting it for like $56,000 out the door. I think about this everyday and not sure what to do, would love to hear your guys thoughts on these questions.

Was $52,500 an overpaid price?
Can we get that deposit back if I didn't sign the purchase agreement?
Would it be possible in the chip-shortened era to get a msrp deal on the type-s? If not, how much more do you think the type-s can be had for?

Sorry if this was a long post, and thanks so much for putting your time into reading this.

 

I’d ask for the deposit back and get a type s, nuff said! You a short ways away from a type s money wise. It would be tricky getting msrp in Chicago though. A few weeks ago I walked in and paid $2500 over msrp to get one in Highland Park but I don’t regret it. Having it now, selling my old TLX to carvana for great value and the chip shortage could have delay my purchase til spring. I am so happy to have one now, it’s an amazing car. You won’t regret it.

 

Agreed.

Although I’d talk to Advantage Acura in Aurora/Naperville and see what they can do for you. I bought both my 2019 ASPEC TLX and Type S from Micah Osbron and the experience was great. No mark up on the Type S at all. Obviously there’s no room to drop the price due to the market but it’s nice not paying extra.

I’ve had bad experiences with the McGrath auto group so I’ll never go back there. I’m not sure if it’s gotten better since 2012 but the experience was so bad I won’t risk it. I’ve also heard they’re marking up a lot which is something I won’t tolerate.

 

Definitely don’t proceed with agreement for the Advance trim, especially if you haven’t signed off on any documents. As an option, there are some Type S vehicles starting to show up for sale with little mileage; take a look on CarGurus and you’ll find them. The downside is you may not get the exact color you want and you may have to travel.

You’re definitely in Type S money territory so I would say make the leap if you can afford it. Good luck and keep us posted on your results. I have the Modern Steel Metallic with red interior and definitely love it

 

Pauly Acura is a good dealership, honest people. Little disappointed they charged you markup, that's not something I've seen from them before.

 

I am almost 90% sure you went to one of Napleton Acura stores or maybe McGrath. Only Napleton will hose down people like that. Napleton has dozens of stores and they're scum of the earth, look up their reviews if you don't believe me. Just this past June when the chip shortage was already in full swing, local Acura dealer was offering me TLX A-Spec SHAWD for around $42K. Not to mention right now they're offering $2500 factory rebate. That's instant discount, even if dealer doesn't offer any of their own. You're going to have massive problems getting that deposit back, I'm just telling you that right now. Never give deposits and if you absolutely HAVE to do it, don't go over what you're willing to lose ($500 in my case). Getting deposit back from dealer is like trying to extort mafia. Because that's what dealership franchises and lobbyist who support them are; a mafia organization.

 

Man oh man. I really hope I can get that deposit back, It was Mcgrath of Downtown Chicago. Getting 42k for msrp, that is like 5k just off the vehicle I want. Anything I can say to get the money back? I knew these guys were playing me, and that's the thing that bothers me the most.

 

The deposit should be refundable. At least it was with Advantage Acura although I didn’t need to request it. The reason I put one down was to guarantee me the first Apex Blue with red interior. If I decided against it they said it was refundable and it usually tends to be. McGrath Acura isn’t the worst dealership ever. I just won’t go back because they severely scratched a brand new car during the prep phase.

 

I got my '21 A-Spec SHAWD just before Halloween last year for about $10k less than what you are planning to pay for yours. What a difference a year makes!

My advice:

1) Go for the Type S from someone willing to let it go for just MSRP (there's a thread of which dealers are asking for markup). You are paying Type S money with none of the benefits!

2) Get your deposit back. Legally they have to if you haven't driven the car off the lot. Also, does your state have a "cool down" law that allows you to change your mind days after contract is signed?

 

If worse comes to worst and dealership is using BS claims to refuse refund, I would get the credit card company involved for a charge back if you paid with credit card. That's only if you walk away completely. Really hope they can switch it to a Type-S order for a fair price. Good luck!

 

These same people are asking $63,000 out the door for the type s. I'm thinking i screwed myself over so badly. I'm gonna ask for the deposit back. Now that I think about it, I did sign some papers for me and the wife. But another thing is that other dealers are saying that they stopped making the 21 tlx, and will start the 22 version only from here on out. If they change up the model year and bump up the price, than I can easily get my deposit back.

 

I don't believe Illinois has that law stating that. My best bet is for the dealer to screw up and say that they stopped making the 21 tlx. I really wished I knew someone that can find me the aspec in msm with red interior for 45k out the door. That would be amazing lol.

 

Look at copies of the paperwork you signed to see what your are obligated to and then you will have a better idea of what your options are.
As mentioned above and typically always an option, if you left your deposit with a credit card - get the card issuer involved.

 

It's really hard to see people willing to pay over MSRP just to get a car right now. Dealers charging markups are awful and praying on people to do it. Do a little research on Acura right now, they are at an all time low for sales and the TLX is a dog when it comes to sales. Should be a great time to buy, not pay overpriced for a car. I paid MSRP for my TL and always felt I got screwed on the price. You should always be paying less than MSRP, especially now when all retailers are desperate for sales. This idea that we don't have it on the lot so you will pay more if pure crap. I looked at Chev trucks recently and they wanted $10K over MRSP - I told them to shove it. When car prices drop, you will be upside down instantly. I'm personally not comfortable with that.

With all that said, get the top of the line, the best TLX you can afford - and if it isn't AWD, then get a honda or toyota.

 

You should simply go in and tell the dealer that you've changed your mind and want your deposit refunded. They don't need to know any other reason beyond that. People change their minds all the time for various reasons. They have no right to keep your deposit. If they give your grief over it, remain calm but firm and demand the return of your deposit. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

I second this.

The dealer has no right to keep your money, especially if you refuse to drive a car off the lot.

 

Talked to the dealer and they said they will return our money, so happy about this. Thank you all for giving your opinion. But I still want the tlx a spec in msm and red interior, still my dream car. If I can get it brand new for 45k out the door, I'll be the happiest dude alive lol.

 

I noticed some of the BMW's are coming through quicker. Some brands are now also offering incentives. Things are loosing up. I would go back into the market if I were you in February 2022. February is traditionally the worse month for car dealers, expect you might see a deal you like.

 

Hunt Valley Acura has a 2022 TLX Type-S in MSM/Red "in transit" for $52,800. Hunt Valley Acura does not add dealer markup. I would guess that it's pre-sold, but sometimes buyers cancel.

 

Might as well wait for the '22s to come out.

 

Thanks for all the advice guys, I finally got the money back woohoo. I'm going to purchase the Aspec shawd in msm/ red interior. I'm just waiting for 22, but don't know the best time honestly. Just had another couple questions:

Do you really think that it can go for 45k out the door in 22?

When is the best time to buy it?

I'm willing to drive to find the exact configuration, so if you guys have it in your area please let me know.

Thanks again guys, happy holidays!

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You may be hard pressed going into 2022 to get a solid deal on any new vehicle; most dealers are sticking to their guns and either charging ADM or accessories, and wiggle room is little if any. Hard to say when the right time to buy as we head into 2022 but definitely do some shopping. Good luck on your search!

 

Just found a used 2021 type s with 2.5k miles. The dealer is asking 51k before dealers and docs, is this a good deal?

 

Yes, that’s a smoking deal in today’s market. By any chance is the exterior of this vehicle in Modern Steel Metallic? I believe I may have seen this one in CarGurus.

 

Chip shortage or no, it's always a good idea to get the CARFAX (or equivalent) to get reported car history.

You probably don't want the ones that showed up on some YT or IG crash video. Just sayin...

 

Yeah that's the one, at napleton Acura in Elmhurst. Watch out for them, they are asking $63,000 for that car. Like one guy said on here, they are the scum of the earth.

 

I have dealt with one of the brothers who owned the Hyundai dealership in Aurora. They actually tried to sell a used Acura TL as is with a bad starter but didn’t want the buyer to know about it until after purchase. Basically they tried to start it beforehand for a test drive but luckily for the customer the starter was done and failed on the spot.

Great family running the Napleton dealerships… 🤦‍♂️

 

I agree. I bought a 2022 Lexus RX 350 a few weeks ago. I got a $500 discount, $5,000 more for my trade than I could have gotten two years ago, and zero bullshit fees. Don’t just assuming there are no deals out there.

 

Only posting because I went through a similar experience with 2021 TLX 2.0T Tech/AWD. The story is documented here somewhere. Anyway, lets just say it didn't work out. I WAS able to get my Deposit back (just had to ask for it).

You know, unless you are dead-set on getting an Acura ... there are other nice new cars. I LOVE my Audi-A5 Coupe. They also make a A5 SportBack 4-door, and also the A4 Sedan. You want the 45-TFSI engine. They all come with Quattro AWD now-days. Premium Plus is a good trim (has Surround View Cameras) but there is a couple of other options you want to add (like Black-Optics ... even if going Prestige). Copy my A5 or ask here and I will elaborate. If you want a V6, they also make S4 and S5.

At around $50-55k there are many cars to look at. Audi, BMW, and MB are all within reach.

 

Thanks for the advice, but this TLX is my dream attainable car. I love japanese reliablity, and would love to see myself owning this car for at least 10 years.

 

Yeah, that is what I thought back then as well. This was even after finding the local Audi dealership, and getting the wife a new 2020 Q5-e SUV earlier in the year (because Acura RDX had no Hybrid version available, and some creature-comforts are missing compared to MDX).

Because of our satisfaction with previous Honda and Acura vehicles over the years (brand loyalty ?) ... the original plan was she could have an Audi and I would get an Acura ... A TLX since neither them nor Honda made a 2-dr with back-seat any more (like Accord 2-dr Coupe). Almost bought a new (1G) 2020 TLX Tech/AWD V6, but it was the wrong color. Also, the infotainment looked dated. Then I heard a new one was coming and I saw the full video of it.

Acura made some strange decisions on options packages. Makes the Advance TLX-2.0T the only real contender (but you still can't get it with black-chrome or A-Spec appearance-package) .

And Acura treating the TLX Type-S V6 like some halo-car and even thinking of charging people ADM is pretty comical.

 

Unfortunately, this has become the norm in this "demand outstripped supply" auto market. When one looks at how the crazy prices of used vehicles have been going up, it doesn't seem out of the ordinary that new vehicles can't have ADM slapped onto the price tags.

As reported in the 4G MDX sub-forum, dealers are charging ADM even on new 3.5L-V6 MDX's, not just on the unknown-delivery-date MDX Type-S.

Also a member in the Car Talk sub-forum mentioned that he could sell his Subaru at several thousand $ more than he bought it 3 months ago.

 

If you are buying Acura for "Japanese reliability", then you are in for a rude awakening....

 

Please explain . . . . .

 

I second his comment. My TSX has been far from trouble free and the RDX has issues as well and check out that forum. And look at the current reliability and satisfaction ratings, Acura is not what it used to be.

It's not awful* but not great either and kind of middle of the road. But if reliability is at the top of your list other brands may offer you a better experience.

*I am saying this because outside of randomly going into limp mode (RDX) most issues are annoyances vs leave you stranded on the road type of stuff however, running back and forth to the dealership gets really old, especially at current prices.

 

I third his comment. My lovely 2016 TLX has gave me no issues at all this year besides when my battery randomly died and my car wouldn't start cause of it, only for me to find out the battery was never change before the car was sold to me last year. other than that, i received the car at 66k miles and now at 85k miles trouble free! I barely have any minor annoyances with my car either.

 

1. I owned the 2014-MDX for 6-years, I would rate it's reliability as 7/10.
- Not excellent, but acceptable. Dealer was good and helpful through the issues (although getting technicians caught-up on "all new" model and it's Tech took a while). I helped them (tracking problems and getting relevant TSB identified and preformed) I think MORE than most owners would.

The 2.9L-V6 had oil-dilution problems near the end. Hopefully, they fixed that in new MDX engine. Wife would likely rate Reliability as 6/10 (because she got stranded 2-3 times) but we generally liked the vehicle. It's all documented in the MDX sub-forum.

and the 4 Accords (kept 2 of them for 20 years each). I'll say 8/10 .
- Mostly all Honda Dealer Serviced. Obviously, lots or maintenance, parts, and major-services (ie timing-chain/water-pump job) and just sudden failures.

The trick is to do your maintenance, and replace parts before they fail ... before you or the wife gets stranded.

2. Looks pretty good so far.
- Puddle-Lights seem to be a problem.
- MMI glitches and/or coming un-plugged
- Steering Column noise (lose bolts and/or whole new assembly)

Yes, you could probably keep a car like this 10 years. It's has a Backup-Camera, Bluetooth, and it has the ability to stop itself to prevent a crash.

 

My TL, 6 years in use, was about a 6/10. The biggest item was a new manual transmission @ 22,000 miles under a TSB. Stupidest was a replacement tail light assembly 19 days old. Posts on the TL forum. Enough other recalls & TSB's on it to dispel the myth.

 

I had zero issues with my 2018 tlx. Had two rdx's with no issues and my 3rd gen type S I had for ten years needed one bluetooth module replaced and a strut failed which the dealer covered half the cost as it was just out of warranty. Although I don't think going back to 3rd gen is indicative of current reliability. Those cars have been out of production for well over a decade. Still see them on the road fairly frequently even today though.

Have had a couple tacoma's as well and they were rock solid. Probably the worst vehicles I ever had was a Jeep Cherokee and the Ford Explorer. Nothing but problems with those and I didn't stay in either one very long.

 

Many others have already compared Acura's reliability to its peers over the years so I won't repeat that here.

As for my 2nd gen TLX:

1) Rattle in driver side panel since day one.

2) Overly sensitive sonar in front, especially during winter (prob more of a safety issue than reliability).

3) My rear brakes are wearing faster than the front???

4) Glitches with CarPlay

5) I have no issue with puddle lights going out but I know many of us have already fallen victim.

6) Really loud brakes when pulling out of garage on a cold day.

7) Some have experienced steering rack issues and I think I'm starting to hear the sound everyone has been hearing.

Did I leave anything out?